Substation service-meter.



G. ROBERTS.

SUBSTATION SERVICE METER.

APPLICATION FILED PERM, 1910.

y 6 f e m a)? W .n. v v MG m a n l V/fnesses: 2 %ac% 7 777 JOHN G. ROBERTS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION- OF ILLINOIS.

SUBSTATION SERVICE-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1'9, 1914a gplication filed February 26, 1910. Serial No. 548,194.

To all 1071 om it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JoHN G. ROBERTS, ,a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Substation Service-Meters, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descrip tion.

This invention relates to service meters fortelephone exchange systems of the type wherein conjoint action of the subscriber and operator is vnecessar to effect a registration, .the subscriber not being able to signal the central office operator without actuating his plunger or other suitable manually-operable means, his service meter being thereafter solely under control of the operator, who will by the application of suitable current release the service meter mechanism and advance the registering train or not, according as she has been successful or unsuccessful in-establishing the desired'connection. f

The general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved service meter of the above type, which shall be simple in construction and efficient and reliable in operation.

To the above. end the present invention provides a service meter wherein mechanical power is stored up by the subscriber-in initiating a call, and the operator is provided with electromagnetic means for releasing this stored up energy to advance th'e cgjunting train if the connection has been successful, or to dissipate the energy and restore the service meter mechanism to normal condition without. advancing the counting train if the connectionhas been unsuccessful.

The invention .will be readily apparent from the following description taken in con-- nection with th accompanying drawing, whereimv "1 j 1 Figure 1 is a: plan View of a service meter constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. fragmentary side elevation showing 1g parts when the plunger is wholly ressed; and Fig, 4 is a view similar to Fig. s 'owing the 'parts in the positions they ashiure upon elease oifpressure from the plunger.

16 rides up on a track te relative positions ofthe various operat-g port an armature mounting 6 carrying thecentrally tilting armature 7 which may be pivoted thereon in the field of the electromagnet and adapted to swing in either direction according to the character or" the current flow. The parts mentioned are of a kind well known to those skilled in the art and need not be further described.

The cross bar 3 supports a mounting plate 8 which forms one support for the registering train 9, while an annular extension 10 of said mounting port, A ,portion of said mounting plate extends upward from its place of support on said cross arm and forms'a mounting for the usual springpressed plunger 11, adapted to be returned upon depression spring 32 and held in the limit of its return movement by the engagement of its pin 22) with a projection. on said mounting plate.

' The leaf 12, forming part of the circuit of the; service meter, is anchored to the mounting plate and at its free end is pivoted to the upper extremity of a pawl 13 and to a bell crank 14, these three elements being frictionally pivoted together upon a common pivot pin 33. The said bell crank engages at its upper end the cam surface 31. ofthe plunger body and is guided into engagement therewith under the influence of spring 12 by a pin 15. The lower member of the bell crank carries a pivoted pawl 16. A spring 17 anchored to said lower member rests against said pawl below its pivot point."

Upon the depression of the plunger the pawl compressing spring 17, as shown in Fig. 3.

Tu order to obtain the attention of the operator it is necessary that contact be made between the pawl 13 and a tooth 20 carried.

upon a spring 19', these two parts normally maintaining the service meter circuit open. A spring 22 is anchored at one end to the leaf spring 12 and at its other to the pawl 13 below it's pivot point and causes the said :10 WESTERN ELECTRIC plate forms the other supby a spiral The i 18 and is deflected,

pawl, upon the depression of theplunger, to i may be accomplished by pivoting an 111-- sulatcd. scgn'ient 21 to the tooth 20 of spring 19 to prevent electrical contact bcing'made upon the urnvard movement of the pawl13 and for a liuiitcd period alitcrit has cleared the upper edge thereof, but adapted to per mit contact to be made providing the plunger has been deprssed farlenough to clear the protruding edge ot'said insulated st "merit and then released, the resultant re traetivc movement 01 the pawl 13 before it is locked permitting the-spring l7, newcompressed because of the deflection of'pawl 16 by the track 18, to immediately be rendered active to force the upper ntiember of the bell crank From engagement with the cam surface 31 01 the pli'ingcr l l, as shown in Fig. 41'.

The atchct "it so located that quent l oclii n g of the depression and consethe pawl 1 places the same under tension in a position such that it may be controlled. by electromagnetic mechanism either to engage the ratchet and thereby ad vance the train or to pass by said ratchet without engaging; the same. The electrc; magnetic mechanism is under control of the operator and may be of any suitable charaetcr provided it is capable of releasing the pawl selectively. An arm 26 attached to the armature on its pivotal axis supports an insulated roller 25 which lies between eitensions of the pawl 13 and leaf spring 19. in the normal position of the mechanism, the downward movement of pawl 13 is limited by an insulated stop 23, the stop also holding the extensions of pawl 13 and the spring 19 away from the roller 25 to give the arm 26 a slight unrestricted movement either way before engaging the said springs.

Assume current of positive polarity is-aplied to the line to charge a call and ne ative to rebate a call, and that the'electromagnet in response to current 01 positive sign will swing the armature in such manner that its end 30 engages the pole face 34. The arm 26 will thereupon cause its roller 25 to bear upon and suddenly deflect pawl 13 from cugagcment with tooth 2t; and into engagement with ratchet 2i, whereupon the latent tension exerted upon said pawl by spring 12 will be free to exert itself to restore said pawl to normal, the roller bearing against the extension of the iawl and mamtamuw D the same H1 engagement wlth theratchet the oi the registering train is,

during the return movement, whereby the counting train is advanced one step. ()n the other hand, assume the call has been an unsuccessful one and the operator is to apply negative current to the line. In such event the armature will be .tied oppositcl y, causing the roller of arm 26 to bear against and deflect spring 19 laterally and -illisengage the same from pawl 13, the spring '12 then exerting a straizht thepawl, whereby the sa no is caused to pass upward pull on byisaid ratchet without engaging the same. In either casethe pin 15 guides the bell crank 14 into rcengagemcnt with the cam sort-ace: oi the plunger, thereby restoring the control of the switch to the subscriber.

T0 guard against the possibility of the release impulse not being strong enough to move thearm 26 sufficiently to cause the pawl to clear the insulated segment 21, contactsu27, 28 are provided. These contacts are connected together and to the pawl 13. An arm 36 mounted upon but insulated from armature and electrically connected with the electromagnet winding is or anged upon the initial movement of the armature to make contact with one or the other of these contacts 27, 2S and thus maintain the coutinuity of the service meter circuit until the operator removes the charging current from the line. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A service meter comprising a counting train, a manually set actuating pawl there for, meanst'or holding said pawl in actuated position, and clectrol'nagnetic releasi ug means controlling said pawl to allow it to he restored idly or to cause it to advance said counting train in such restoration.

2. In a servicev meter, the combination with a call register, of a spring-pressed pawl for advancing the same, an operating part for actuating said pawl, means for maintaining said pawl in its actuated position, and electromagnetic means adapted to'rclease said pawl to be either efl'ectivc or ineffective to actuate said call'register.

3. A call register comprising a call indicator, an actuating device, means for manually setting said actuating device in operativc relation to said call indicator, said actu ating device being adapted to be restored in dependently of said setting means, and electromagnetic means for controlling said actuating device in such restoration to cause it to indicate a call or be restored idly ac; cording to the operation of said cont-rolling n'ica'ns.

4. A service meter comprising a counting train, an actuating pawl therefor adapted to be manually moved under tension into operative relation to said counting train, hold ling means for said pawl, a'switch operated by the actuaiiiinwt' said pawl, and electrocountizL ther nos magnetic releasing nieans for said pawl adaptedto render the same effective or ineffective to advance said counting train.

5. A call registering device comprising a switch, means for operating said switch, a.

call indicator, means for registering a call thereon, a source of power for sa d means, and an electro T8SPOIlS1VQlGVICB controlling the restoration of said switchand source of.

newer and to cause said re isterin means L i C I: s

is said, call register.

6. In a service meter, the combination with a counting train, of a spring-pressed pawl herefor, manual means for setting said pawl operative position to said counting train, a Bltrhmagnet, and its armature, said rniature oontrolling the release of said pawl, said paivl -heii1g rendered effective or allowed tohe 'inefl ectiv'e to" actuate said i train according to the direction of di' placeincnt of said armature.

73111 a service meter, the combination with polarized clectromagnet, a t lting armature for, a. counting train, a spring-pressed ing train, means for maintaining said pawl 111 its operative position, and means made operative when the armature is tilted in one direction to release said pawl to advance said counting tram and when the armature is ilted oppositely to release said pawl and allow the stone to be ineffective to advance said counting train.

8. In a service meter, the combination with a counting train, of a spring-pressed pawl therefor, a toothcarrled by said pawl, a

cat-ch a plunger adapted to depress said mud and cause said tooth to en ave said catch and maintain said. pawl under tension in operative relation to said counting train, an clectromagnet, a tilting armature therefor, and means carried by said armature for releasing said pawl and determining the adfiance or non-advance of said counting train.

9. A service in-etercoinprising an electro magnet, switch, a counting train, a springpressed pawl for advancing said counting train, a plunger for closing said switchand moving said pawl into operative relation to said counting train, part of said swiich holding said pawl in its ope-alive position, an mature for said electroinaguct adapted tcfrelease said pawl and open said switch;

and. means controlled by the direction of displacement of said armature adapted to render said pawl in its release oliiective or allow the same to he inellective to advance counting train.

10. A service meter having an magnet, register controlling illili'fifi'll', a switchcontrolling i, said 118i, rcgisifi uses to be restored idly or to be restored to actu-.-

p for advancing said counting train, manual means for moving said pawl into operative relation. with respect to said count- "ivith a countir by said armature, a manuall -operahle device adapted to close said switch and operate said actuator, and means actuated by said inanually-operable device for rendering ineilective the control of aid manually-operable device ever said switch and said actuator,

1. in a serviceineter, the combination of an electromagnet, a register controlling armature therefor, a switch for controlling the circuit or said magnet, a register actuator controlled by armature, a manually-operable device adapted to close said switch 1d operate said actuator, and means actuated when said switch is closed for rendering ineii ective the control said manually-operablc device over said switch and said actuator.

'12. In a service meter, the combination of an electromagnet, switch springs for con- Y trolling the circuit 01 said magnet, a register actuator controlled by said electromagnet, plunger adapted to operate said actuator and said switch springs and thereby to close said circuit, means actuated when said circuit closed to render ineffective the control of switch springs, and means actuated upon the movement of said armature to again cause said springs and said actuator to be placed under the control of said plguig er.

13. A service meter having a pawl, a plunger, an intermediate element through the agency of which said pawl is depressed by said plunger, a catch adapted to engage and maintain said pawl depressed, means for engagement with said plunger, and means ag movingsaid intermediate member into engagement with. aid plunger upon the release said pawl,

ice meter, the combination ain, a spring-pressed pawl, a pivoted hell ciank, a plunger adapted to clepress said pawl through the intermediation of said hell crank, a catch adapted to and hold said u il in a depressed position, means for swing said crank from engagement with sale 1 c. pressure is removed therefrom, means for releasing; said pawl and rendering the same effective o allowi the same to he ineffective to actuate sa l means actuated upon t for again placing 2 lit, trol of said plunper.

15, A service pressed pawl, a cranlv normal l v said pawl deactuated by said cell said plunger over said actuator and said,

removing said intermediate member from said plunger, a

CIT

the release oit. said plunger, and a guide adapted to cause said bell crank to again engage said plunger and pawl upon the return of said pawl to normal.

16. In a service meter, the combination with a counting train, a spring'pressed pawl adapted to advance said counting train, a plunger, an intermediate memberby means of which said pawl is depressed, a catch for engaging said pawland maintaining the same depressed, means for removing said in termediate member fromengagement with said plunger when. pr :ssuro is released therefrom, an electron'iagnet, a tilting armature therefor, releasing means forsaid pawl con trolling by the direction of displacement of said armature the advance or non--admnce of said counting train, and means operating .in the return of said pawl to normal again to place ll 2 same under the control of said plunger.

17. In a service meter, the combination of a register controlling electronutgnet, a circuit therefor, a switch for closing said circuit, a register actuator controlled by said electromagnet, manual means adapted to actuate said switch; and said actuator, means for preventing the closure of said switch until said manual means is released, and means thereupon rendered active to remove the control. of said switch and said actuator from said manual means.

18. In a service meter, the combination with an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a switch for closing said circuit, a register actuator controlled by said electromagnet, a plunger, a bell crank engaging one terminal of said switch, and a cam surface onsaid plunger and through the agency of which said switch. is closed and said actuator is set by said plunger, means for preventing the closure of said switch until said plunger is released, means made operative upon the release of said plunger tor removing said bell crank from engagement with said plunger, and means toncausing said bell crank to again engage with said. plunger uponthe release of said actuator and the opening of said switch.

19. In service meterthe combination with a polarized electronuxgnet, a centrallypivoted armature therefor, a countii'ig train, a springpressed pawl. therefor, a plunger, a

hell crank fricticnally pivoted to the upper end of said pawl and engaginga cam sur face on'said plunger, a leaf spring having. a tooth upon said i a catch adapted to ou pawl to m tainthe sum the depression of pl sicn member carried by said l c depressed upon iger, a compress- 5 ll crank and compressed. upon the cte 'n'ession of saidplunger, said compression member being rendered active to remove said bell crank from engagement with said plunger upon the removal of pressure therefrom, an arm carried by said armature resting between pawl and spring, and adapted when said armature is attracted to release said pawl, whereupon the .aid pawl in its return to normal is either effective or inefi'eetive to advance said counting train according to the direction of displacement of the armature.

20. In an electrically controlled telephone meter at a local. station, the combination of the counter of said meter, an actuator for the counter requiring two movements for each registration, manual means operable by the subscriber at the local station for effecting the first of said movements of the actuator, a circuit breaker in the local circuit closed by said actuator, and; a device controlled :t'rom a distant station for effecting the other one of said movements.

21. In an electrically controlled telephone meter, the combination with the counter, of an automatic actuator therefor, manual means for setting said actuator in position .t'or operating the meter, a circuit maker in the local telephone circuit closed by said actuator when so set, and electromagnetic means controlled froma distant station for releasing said actuator. I

In an electrically controlled telephone meter, the combination with the counter, of an anton'iatically returning, manually advanced actuator for the counter, means for retaining the actuator in advanced position, and tripping means controlled from a distant station for releasing said actuator from said retaining means and directing the re turn movement of said actuator relative to the counter.

23. In a telephone meter, the combination with an electricallycontrolled counter, of actuator therefor, a push button independ ent of the actuator for advancing said actuator to set it in operative position, said edunter being operated on the return movement of said actuator, a spring for returning the push button alone to initial position, and means for preventing said push button from again advancing the actuator unt ii the subsequent return of the actuator to initial position.

In witness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of February A. D., 

